Jun 10, 2017

Newspapers disown busted flush May

A few short days ago the majority of UK newspapers were still trying to drag Theresa May's ailing election campaign over the finish line (albeit half-heartedly at times). But following May's disastrous performance at the polls on Thursday and her humiliating efforts to stay in Number 10, the allegiance of Fleet Street's big hitters has vanished over night.

Nobody wanted to be left holding a busted flush after the gamble had failed.

May now has neither the majority, the power nor the long-term future that will have made her of interest to the likes of Paul Dacre and Rupert Murdoch. She is an ex-Prime Minister in-waiting who embarrassed those who championed her, both with her poor performances and the nature of a hollow victory that may be secured, for now, through a 'coalition of chaos' - one of the very soundbites the papers had dutifully force fed their own readers in recent weeks.

The Daily Mail and The Sun managed to turn a blind eye to much of May's faltering throughout the campaign. On the day every other paper led with May's U-turn on social care, the Mail led with a story about pornography on Facebook while The Sun led with yet another attack on Corbyn. They no doubt thought it a wise investment at the time. But now May is feeling the wrath of newspaper editors, angry that their newest plaything was broken out of the box and perhaps also frustrated that they were unable to land an effective blow on Corbyn. Their attacks on the Labour leader were either dismissed out of hand by supporters or turned back on themselves as evidence that the likes of Dacre and Murdoch were getting worried, so maybe Corbyn was onto something.

The Sun has given May a year. That could prove generous, but if so it seems certain it is the last generosity she will receive from them.